beholdtheman

"Behold the Man" - Judgement at Gabatha

“Behold the Man!” This Man was judged by Pilate on your behalf so that you can get justice in this world. “Behold the Man!” He was scourged by Pilate on your behalf so that you may not be scourged for your trespasses in this world. “Behold the Man!” A crown of thorns was plaited and was put on His head on your behalf so that you may wear a crown of glory and success. “Behold the Man!” He was mocked and was smitten with the hands of the mighty on your behalf so that you may be praised and adorned with the hands of the mighty. “Behold the Man!” He was stripped of His garments on your behalf so that you may be clothed with the garments of salvation and of righteousness and also with material prosperity. Are you like Pilate, abdicating your judgment seat and delivering judgment based on the statement of the accusers? Are you like Pilate, in the churches when you are required to judge between the believers? Have you judged any believer in your church and thrown him/her out of your church, solely based on the statement of the accusers?

Dearly beloved in Christ Jesus, Behold the Man! He was judged and condemned to death on your behalf so that you are not judged and condemned through this worldly system of jurisprudence. Behold the Man! Do not look at any worldly institution or any human being for getting the justice for you. He is there to help you. He is standing for you in the court of law. Behold the Man! He is your Beloved! His love is more and greater than the love of any man or woman in this world. His etneral love for you cannot be measured in mere terms of any language of this world.

"Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it; if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned", (Song of Songs 8:7)

Dear bride of Christ, Behold the Man! You may face problems or afflictions like many waters. The floods may come your way. Floods mean divine judgment being executed as a measure of chastisement by the just God. It can be bereavement or a big loss in business or any other great problem, which upsets your whole life. In the midst of such many waters or floods, you would feel the presence of Christ, the Man ( Is.43:2) As you open the Bible, He will comfort you by His Word. As you kneel down for prayer, you will hear His small voice. The people of God will speak words of comfort or of prophecy as led by the Holy Spirit when you are in the furnace of afflictions. Many waters cannot quench His love.

The love cannot be equated with or measured in terms of worldly things. You may express your love to someone by gifting some costly thing. The most precious thing of this world cannot substitute love. Even if you start giving away one after another of all worldly possessions to some one whom you love, you would still be found on the negative side only; both the sides cannot be equal. We cannot equate the love of God through Christ Jesus with the glory of the whole world. God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. But in return for such love of God, you cannot compensate Him by offering any thing of this world or the whole world. God loved not only a particular nation or a particular race or a particular religious sect called 'Christians' but the whole world so that He gave Christ for all the peoples of this world including Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, etc. The love of God towards the human beings is so pervasive over the whole system of the universe or the cosmos that all the celestial bodies are made to function for the benefit of the human race on the face of the earth. The love of the omnipresent God holds and secures the earth in the universe.

Dearly beloved in Christ Jesus, Behold the Man! As you meditate on the passion of Christ during this season, why cannot you present this Man to the lost world? Why cannot you go as a missionary to some continent or a nation which is engulged in the dark? Do you find fault with your local church or the Christian leaders in your town for not doing their job? What have you done for this Man who gave His life for you?

The world needs this Man who was rejected by His own people. Do you also reject Him by not obeying His command to preach the gospel to the lost?

Behold the Man! He is just standing by your side as you read this message. Maranatha!

- Job Anbalagan